Systems and methods for compacting composite components
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11958217
Systems and methods for compacting components are provided. In one exemplary aspect, a component is positioned between a first tool portion and a second tool portion of a compaction tool. A sandwich structure is positioned between the first tool portion and the component. The sandwich structure includes a thermally expandable material and a rigid shell. The thermally expandable material is positioned between the first tool portion and the rigid shell. During compaction, the thermally…
Gaseous ionization detectors for monitoring and controlling energy beams used to additively manufacture three-dimensional objects
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11958111
An additive manufacturing machine may include a beam source, a process chamber, a beam column operably coupled to the process chamber and/or defining a portion of the process chamber, and a gaseous ionization detector disposed about the beam column. The gaseous ionization detector may be configured to detect elementary particles corresponding to an ionizing gas ionized by an energy beam from the beam source. A method of additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object may include…
Variable guide vane sealing
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11952900
A variable guide vane assembly is provided for a turbine defining a core air flowpath. The variable guide vane assembly includes an airfoil band defining a flowpath surface and a cavity. The variable guide vane assembly further includes an airfoil including a first end extending at least partially into the cavity of the airfoil band and an opposite second end, the airfoil extending generally along an axis between the first end and the second end and being moveable generally about the…
Engine control system
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11956063
Certain examples disclose and describe apparatus and methods to reprogram all electronic engine control system processors through a single external network interface to an aircraft data loader. In such examples, a main processor that interfaces to an aircraft communication network is to operate as both a data loader and a loadable device. Distributed electronic engine control processors are reprogrammable from a single network interface, rather than requiring separate, direct access to…
System and method for protecting a wireless power transfer system
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955805
A wireless power transfer system is disclosed. The wireless power transfer system includes a first converting unit configured to convert a first DC voltage of an input power to a first AC voltage. Further, the wireless power transfer system includes a contactless power transfer unit configured to receive the input power having the first AC voltage from the first converting unit and transmit the input power. Also, the wireless power transfer system includes a second converting unit…
Circuit interruption device
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955793
A circuit interruption device including first and second terminals for connection, to a respective electrical circuit or network, a current-conductive branch including first, second, and third current-conductive branch portions successively connected in series between the first and second terminals, the first current-conductive branch portion including a first switching element, the second current-conductive branch portion including a second switching element, the third…
Receiver unit of a wireless power transfer system
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955274
A receiver unit of a wireless power transfer system is presented. The receiver unit includes a main receiver coil, a plurality of auxiliary receiver coils disposed about a central axis of the main receiver coil, and a receiver drive subunit. The receiver drive subunit includes a main converter operatively coupled to the main receiver coil and having a main output terminal. The receiver drive subunit may include a plurality of auxiliary converters operatively coupled to the plurality of…
Jet engine thermal transport bus pumps
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11952944
Jet engine thermal transport bus pumps are disclosed. Disclosed herein is an aircraft comprising a gas turbine engine configured to burn fuel at a fuel flow rate to generate an engine power (Pengine), the fuel characterized by a first specific heat capacity (cp_fuel) and a net heat of combustion (NHCfuel); and a thermal management system configured to transfer heat from a working fluid to the fuel, the working fluid characterized by a second specific heat capacity (cp_pump) and a first…
Turbine engine airfoil
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11952912
A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, and an airfoil with an outer wall defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a mean camber line. A first thickness is defined between the pressure side and the suction side at a first location along the mean camber line.
Machine foam cleaning system with integrated sensing
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11952906
A machine is cleaned by directing a foam detergent into the machine to remove contaminants from inside the machine. An effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with some of the contaminants. One or more of a turbidity, a salinity, an amount of total dissolved solids, or a concentration the contaminants in the effluent is measured. A cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine is determined based on the turbidity, the…
System and method of forecasting aircraft engine operational data for predictive analytics
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11952149
Systems and methods for forecasting aircraft engine operational data are provided. The forecasted data can be used for use with predictive analytics, for example. In one aspect, a method is provided. The method includes receiving engine data associated with an engine. The engine data includes data points for various operational parameters. The method further includes determining forecasted data points for the operational parameters. The forecasted data points for a given one of the…
Additive manufacturing system
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11951679
An additive manufacturing apparatus can include a stage configured to hold a component formed by one or more layers of resin. A support plate can be positioned above the stage. A radiant energy device can be positioned above the stage. The radiant energy device can be operable to generate and project energy in a predetermined pattern. A feed module can be configured to operably couple with a first end portion of a resin support and can be positioned upstream of the stage. A take-up…
Systems, and methods for diagnosing an additive manufacturing device
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11951567
A system for diagnosing an additive manufacturing device is provided. The system includes one or more processors, one or more non-transitory memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing machine-readable instructions. The machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: determine parameters associated with at least one subsystem of the additive manufacturing device, the parameters being related to a build generated by…
Assignment of multiple print parameter sets in additive manufacturing
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11951566
A method, medium, and system to obtain an assignment of one of a plurality of different additive manufacturing (AM) print parameter sets to each of a plurality of 3D volume elements forming a representation of the model of the part; define a plurality of groupings based on margin parameter values associated with the model of the part; assign a print parameter set to each grouping; automatically assign each of the plurality of print parameter sets to a laser of a multi-laser AM device;…
Backwall strike braze repair
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11951557
A process of repairing a component includes identifying a void in a component; determining at least one approximate physical configuration of the void; inserting borescope into the component in order to view the void; providing a repair rod approximately equivalent to at least one of the least one approximate physical configuration of the void; inserting the repair rod into component; confirming insertion of the repair rod in the void; separating the repair rod to leave a repair plug in…
Additive manufacturing machine and method with variable powder dispensing assembly
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11951543
A powder dispensing assembly for an additive manufacturing machine is provided. The powder dispensing assembly includes a housing that defines a powder reservoir that receives additive powder; a first plate removably connectable to the housing, the first plate defining a first discharge orifice having a first discharge orifice geometry; and a second plate removably connectable to the housing, the second plate defining a second discharge orifice having a second discharge orifice geometry…
Interlace scanning strategies and uses thereof
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11945158
A method, apparatus, and program for additive manufacturing. In one aspect, the method comprises: forming an at least partially solidified portion within a first scan region (801), wherein the solidified portion within the first scan region (801) is formed by irradiating a build material along a first irradiation path (811). A second portion of a build material may be irradiated along a second irradiation path (813), wherein the second scan region (803) is offset with respect to the…
Coating systems including infiltration coatings and reactive phase spray formulation coatings
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11946146
A coating system configured to be applied to a thermal barrier coating of an article includes an infiltration coating configured to be applied to the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating infiltrates at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating decomposes within the at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating to coat a portion of the at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating reduces a porosity of the…
Fuel delivery system having a fuel oxygen reduction unit
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11945600
A fuel system is provided for an aircraft having a fuel source. The fuel system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel supply path, a stripping gas supply path, a liquid fuel outlet path, and a stripping gas return path, wherein the stripping gas return path is in airflow communication with the fuel source.
Hybrid electric aircraft with gyroscopic stabilization control
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11945573
A hybrid electric aircraft equipped with gyroscopic stabilization control is provided. In one aspect, a hybrid electric aircraft includes a turbo-generator having a gas turbine engine and an electric generator operatively coupled thereto for generating electrical power. The turbo-generator defines a rotation axis. The aircraft also includes one or more electrically-driven propulsors for producing thrust for the aircraft. In addition, the aircraft includes a pivot mount operatively…
